Steel-capped boots and Broken noses
by Norrrrrrrrrr
Summary: Andromeda never needed rescuing. Ted on the other hand... Disclaimer: I own nothing. JKR however, does. AN: This story is unconnected to my previous works.
1. Chapter 1

Andromeda savagely kicked the unconscious Goyle, hearing a whimper and felt what might have been a rib cracking, but honestly couldn't care. He lay sprawled across Crabbe in the small landing, where they'd both fallen when she'd hit them in the back with stunners. And in the corner opposite, with swelling eyes and a bleeding broken nose was Edward Tonks, currently attempting to scramble away from the girl with the wand and the steel-capped boots. (Not that he would have known they were steel-capped. Andromeda had been very pleased in her handiwork.)

Edward flinched when she grabbed him by the shoulders. "Hey, just relax okay?" Andromeda was pleased when he stopped struggling, but could feel the tension under her hands. "This should help with the eyes. Stay still Edward."

Teddy blinked as the light moved over his eyes, seeking her face. "Andromeda?"

"Er... yeah," Andromeda reached forwards and grabbed him by the nose. "This is going to hurt Edward." She tugged it sharply to once side, straightening it.

"Ow. You know there's a spell for that, right?" he asked as she helped him up.

"Well I'm no good at it, so..."

"Fair enough," replied Ted, looking at her thoughtfully. "Thank you Andromeda. I- thanks."

"No problem," replied Andromeda. "Now if you could just help me hide these two. I'd rather not get detention for this..."

"Ah! Right." It took a good four minutes to get both of the large bulky boys off the landing, into the third floor corridor and hidden in the broom closet. She caught Goyle's ankle in the door twice before they finally managed to jam it closed and latch it shut. It was a good thing it was as sunny as it was, or they probably would have been seen.

"Come on," said Andromeda, grabbing him by the arm. "Let's get out of here and find somewhere to talk."

"Oookaay?" said Tonks hesitantly, letting himself be dragged downstairs and out a side entrance, into a courtyard abandoned for its lack of sun.

"Any particular reason it was you being beaten up?" she asked as she sat down and patted the bench beside her. It was nicely hidden from view behind a large tree in need of pruning. "You're still bleeding by the way."

"I noticed," said Ted wryly, producing a threadbare handkerchief from a sleeve and pressing it to his nose. "Honestly I think they bet me up because I was there. They're kind of cunts."

Andromeda laughed. "Yeah. They kind of are."

He watched her for a while, his smile fading slightly. "Why did you help me?"

"Why do you think?"

Ted stared at the ground, clearly uncomfortable. "I always though you might have fancied me a bit," he said finally, after a long wait.

Andromeda blinked in surprise. "Huh. I never thought anyone picked up on that, especially you."

He shrugged. "Not exactly the kind of thing you go shouting around, is it?"

"I suppose." She clicked her tongue thoughtfully, before leaning down to look into his eyes. "Do you fancy me too?" she asked softly, searching his face.

"Yeah." Ted grinned awkwardly back at her from behind his blondish fringe. "Yeah, I do. Kind of hard not to, you know?"

"Well of course," Andromeda said, straightening in a way that highlighted her good looks and smirking.

"The way you dress probably helps too," Ted replied, grinning at her outraged expression. "I'm certain Madam Malkin doesn't usually provide robes quite so... fitted."

"I-" Andromeda didn't know how to respond and took a moment to collect herself. "I'm not that kind of -"

"I know, I know!" Ted stared at her, alarmed and worried. "I didn't mean anything like that! It's just not the kind of thing most witches wear. It looks more like muggle clothing. I was just trying to..." He paused for a moment. "I'm sorry. I just meant that you look nice, not... that."

"Well, okay then," replied Andromeda, mostly mollified. "So, know that we both know we like each other, what are we going to about it?"

"Well, what can we do about it, really? I can't imagine it going over well with your house or family."

"It's nearly the holidays," replied Andromeda, letting her foot gently brush the hem of his trouser leg. "We could meet up somewhere, away from the major wizarding haunts."

"Your parents would let you do that?" He sounded shocked.

"Blacks are expected to marry before they're twenty. Usually we get a lot of free rein before then. You know, get it all out of our system before we have to settle down and start producing babies."

"You have to be married by twenty?" Ted looked deeply uncomfortable with that.

"Well, I'm meant to be looking for someone, but I'm still sixteen. I've got a bit of time before I get myself disowned." She caught his eye. "You don't expect I'd marry the kind of man they'd want, do you?"

"No, I don't." Ted knew a little about her family, but not much more than most.

"So, how about it?" Andromeda asked, looking directly at him.

"Okay then," he replied, running a hand through his hair. "If you think we can make this work I say we go for it." He snorted in amusement. "Mum's going to be pissed though."

"Why?" asked Andromeda, eyebrows furrowing.

"She wants me to date a nice, normal girl," Ted replied, shaking his head. "She's never been exactly happy with me being a wizard. Thinks magic is unclean."

Andromeda couldn't help herself. She laughed as she leant over to kiss him.


	2. Chapter 2

"You own a house?" Ted stared at the imposing building, an odd place inhabiting a triangle of land on the corner of two roads that intersected each other at a sharp diagonal.

"Of course," replied Andromeda as she hoisted her bags across the threshold. "Did you think I'd be quite so cavalier as to plan on getting disowned without one?"

"How the hell did you get it?" asked Ted, bewildered. "Wouldn't your parents notice-"

"My aunt Nymphodora left it to me." Andromeda looked at him, annoyed. "Now, are you going to help me with this stuff or not?"

"Right," said Ted, abashed. "Sorry. So," he asked as they crossed the threshold carrying a bag that seemed far too heavy, "Why are we here?"

"Well I'm planning on moving everything I own here," she said as they dumped the bag in the hall and moved to grab the next. "That way I won't have to worry about not going back for things when shit goes south."

"So what's in these bags then?"

"Furniture."

"Your kidding me." Ted stared at her. "You mean to say your dragging all your furniture out of your parents' house without them noticing it?"

"Actually we have a vault full of furniture we've inherited but have no use for," said Andromeda, stretching like a cat. "Its a lower security vault and I've only been taking my items anyway so hopefully father won't notice it for a while."

"Just how long have you been planning this?"

She smiled slightly. "A while. I think I first started thinking about it back in first year actually, but it wasn't until third year that I actually became serious about this."

"What changed?" asked Ted curiously but the only answer her received was an amused smile.

Finding out the house was well warded enough for them to do magic without being caught was a relief. Even so the bedroom took them longer than it should have. When they were eventually finished, grinning and breathing heavily, Andromeda turned to look at him, her smile sliding back into mystery.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked, pulling her closer to kiss her neck.

Andromeda hummed contentedly for a moment before answering. "It doesn't matter right now."

"Will it matter later?" asked Ted.

"Oh yes, it'll definitely matter later. But right now... now things are good and it doesn't."

"Okay then." He felt her hands wandering and twisted around to face her again.

HPHPHPHP

When it actually was later it came back up. "Your mother doesn't like me much, does she?"

"No," said Ted, his finger entwined with hers while they walked to the movies. "No she does not."

"Why?" asked Andromeda. He could tell she wasn't surprised at his answer, but she was definitely unhappy about it. "It's not just the magic, is it?"

"The magic definitely doesn't help any," acknowledged Ted. "She was still hoping I'd meet a 'normal' girl I think. Last summer she kept inviting all her friends with daughters my age over. It was really awkward. I mean, I've been part of the wizarding world since I was eleven and spend all summer in muggle classes. I didn't have a clue what music or movies they were talking about or anything. I don't know quite what she was thinking would happen."

"That's not just it though, is it?" Her eyes searched his face and he sighed, feeling embarrassed.

"She doesn't like the class of people you come from either." He watched her brows knit as the passed under a street light. "Mum's not a fan of the upper class," he clarified, grimacing a bit at the way it sounded. "Dad likes you though."

"I know," laughed Andromeda. "He offered to teach me to drive. Keeps on staring at my arse though."

Ted winced. "Yeah, I know. I'm sorry. I'll tell him to stop."

"Thanks. I'm pretty sure he doesn't realise he's doing it, but it's really off-putting." She looked at him thoughtfully for a moment before speaking again. "Ted?" Andromeda asked hesitantly.

"Yes?" He suddenly felt uncertain. Dromeda was the most confident person Ted knew. If she was nervous-

"Will you marry me? I understand if you don't think it would work," she added quickly, "It's just that I don't want to risk not asking it, in case you would have said yes and I left it too late and-"

"Okay," replied Ted, surprising himself in actually having an immediate answer prepared. "Yes. Yes I will."

"Are you sure? I know I kind of just sprung it on you but-"

"Yes," he said cutting her off, pulling her into his arms and sliding them into a doorway for some more privacy. "Yes, I'm sure. Definitely."

"Do you really think this'll work and it's not just utter insanity?" she asked, looking down at him.

"I'm pretty sure it will," he answered. "Even if it does turn out to be utter insanity."

She kissed him for that.


End file.
